Mercedes preview the Spanish GP

Mercedes head to Barcelona as the team to beat with both Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg wanting their first Spanish GP wins...

Mercedes head to Barcelona as the team to beat with both Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg wanting their first Spanish GP wins...

Lewis Hamilton: "It's been good to have a bit of a break between races: for us as drivers and also for the team who have been working flat out for so many weeks. But after three great weekends in Malaysia, Bahrain and China I'm obviously keen to get on to the next one and continue that positive momentum into the next leg of the season. Barcelona is a great place to have the first European round on the calendar. It's a circuit we all know very well - although this is the first time in my Formula One career that I have raced there without testing at the circuit during the winter - and the Spanish crowds are really passionate about their racing. It's great to see so many people in the grandstands over the weekend. I've never won in Barcelona but I'm in a good place right now and I'm hoping that this will be the year, although it's clear who the fans' favourite will be! The circuit is fantastic, our car has performed well so far and I'm really looking forward to a good race."

Nico Rosberg: "The Spanish Grand Prix is the first race of the season on European soil after four exciting races at various circuits overseas. This is where the next phase of the season begins and there is probably no other track in the world that I know as well as the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. I also have some good memories of race weekends in Barcelona. Last year, for example, I started from pole position so I'm looking forward to going back there again and maybe repeating that particular feat. It's also only now that we can slowly begin to get an idea of how the different cars stack up in terms of performance. Each team will have been pushing hard during the break since the last race to find some extra performance from new parts. So it will certainly be an interesting weekend and hopefully an exciting one for the fans too."